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| Theazrp | | Set |  | | Reg. Date | : | 14/10/2010 | | Posts | : | 111 | | Location | : | Gold Canyon, Arizona, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 02:16 Post title : oil changing revisited | | | read several posts about lifting the bike to change oil and how to make a wooden piece to use on a jack to lift the bike. My question is , will my vacuum oil change system ( I think it's called mighty vac or something similar) do a good enough job of removing the old oil? I have several vehicles and it will do a pretty good job on some of them but not all. It wouldn't get all the old oil out of my last (japanese) bike. Just curious.
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| Kando | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 08/11/2009 | | Posts | : | 780 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 03:54 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: Theazrp) | | | Hey The,
although I have not yet changed my own oil yet I believe most of the lifting posts were concerning changing tires and belt maintenance. You can actually change the oil while on the side stand. Don't know anthything about your oil system though.
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| daz | | Zeus | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,729 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 05:19 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: Theazrp) | | | Yeah, you don't lift it to change the oil. In fact i doubt you even could, and if so you'd have to be a contortionist. You just do it on the side stand and tip it both ways several times. I get nearly every drop out that way because when i fill it back up i end up using at least what the manual says is the oil capacity. i wouldn't bother with some vacuum system....it's not going to make a lick of difference in the bike's life or anything else. Just let it drain for a good 10 or 15 minutes tipping it left then right and holding it leaned for a few seconds to get the oil to move. Take the oil cap off while it's draining too, as it will keep any vacuum effect from slowing drainage.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| davetac1 | | Thunderbird | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 05:20 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: Kando) | | | If it's a 1600 T Bird that you're changing the oil and filter on,as stated,you can do this on the side stand without any problem.As for using a suction system to do any oil change on any vehicle,DON'T DO IT.The drain plug is there for a reason.With the engine hot,when you open that drain plug,which is usually located at the lowest point of the crankcase,any impurities,metal chips,clutch particles,etc., will flow out thru that drain plug hole which is what you want.Dave!!!
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| Theazrp | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 14/10/2010 | | Posts | : | 111 | | Location | : | Gold Canyon, Arizona, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 16:33 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: davetac1) | | | Thanks. I've always changed the oil on all my other bikes while on the side stand, and will do so with this one. It's just that I'm an old man and sometimes that concrete garage floor is HARD!, so I was half hoping a vac system would work okay, but I'm not too old to ride and so I'm not to old to get down there and do whatever work I can on the Bird.
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| EnGage | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 14/07/2009 | | Posts | : | 3,155 | | Location | : | Grand Rapids, MI, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 17:36 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: Theazrp) | | | Theazrp wrote:
... It's just that I'm an old man and sometimes that concrete garage floor is HARD!, ... |
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I just make my son do it as pay back for me having to raise him 
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| zolti | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 23/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 3,127 | | Location | : | newcastle , United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 18:17 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: EnGage) | | | you could always jack it when filling if you wanted to so its level for checking the level, but not essential
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| mat1600 | | Thunderbird | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 06/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,596 | | Location | : | Bridlington, Democratic Independant State of Yorkshire, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 19:25 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: EnGage) | | |
EnGage wrote:
I just make my son do it as pay back for me having to raise him
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 Now thats the spirit. 
| My first natural instinct is to breathe. My second is to evade tax's.
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| mat1600 | | Thunderbird | | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,596 | | Location | : | Bridlington, Democratic Independant State of Yorkshire, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 19:27 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: zolti) | | |
zolti wrote:
you could always jack it when filling if you wanted to so its level for checking the level, but not essential |
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I thought the level was set for when its on its side stand.
| My first natural instinct is to breathe. My second is to evade tax's.
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| narsisco_lopez | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 09/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 2,765 | | Location | : | Golden (Showers!), Colorado, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 20:40 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: daz) | | |
daz wrote:
Yeah, you don't lift it to change the oil. In fact i doubt you even could, and if so you'd have to be a contortionist. You just do it on the side stand and tip it both ways several times. I get nearly every drop out that way because when i fill it back up i end up using at least what the manual says is the oil capacity. i wouldn't bother with some vacuum system....it's not going to make a lick of difference in the bike's life or anything else. Just let it drain for a good 10 or 15 minutes tipping it left then right and holding it leaned for a few seconds to get the oil to move. Take the oil cap off while it's draining too, as it will keep any vacuum effect from slowing drainage. |
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Ok, just gotta chime in again in the whole "lifting the Thunderbird/Oil Change" topic. As I mentioned in a previous thread, my oil collection pan is way too thick to slide under the bike when it's on its side stand... not to mention I don't like crawling around on the ground like a snake either!
So...
I simply use my Rhino Ramps (strategically-positioned, of course ) like so...
    
I've been reading post on this forum that the sight was designed for checking on the side stand, but the techs at the Triumph dealership where I bought my 'Bird told me to lean the bike up off its stand to accurately check the level.
???
| 2012 Storm (SOLD!)
Other Bikes:
2003 Suzuki DRZ400E (plated - my dual sport/mountain trail/camping bike)
Past Bikes:
2012 K13S
2009 KTM 990 Adventure
2010 Triumph Thunderbird 1600 (the Alien Queen)
2009 Triumph Sprint ST (another great bike!)
2007 Kawasaki ZX10R
2000 Kawasaki ZRX1100
1975 Honda SB550T "Clubman"
1981 Kawasaki KZ1000J
1985 Suzuki GS550E
1978 Yamaha 650 Special
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| RedBird2010 | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 11/10/2010 | | Posts | : | 666 | | Location | : | Spokane Valley, Washington, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 21:10 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: narsisco_lopez) | | | Owners manual says to have the bike level to check oil level, not sure about draining the oil, my last bike (Suzuki) was setup to drain the oil while on the side stand.
| Rick 
2010 Thunderbird SE 1600
"Harley-Davidson; the worlds' most efficient method of turning gasoline into noise without the harmful side effect of horsepower."
"The wilderness holds answers to questions man has not yet learned to ask"
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| Theazrp | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 14/10/2010 | | Posts | : | 111 | | Location | : | Gold Canyon, Arizona, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 22:20 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: EnGage) | | | Now that's a hell of an idea. Although my son lives in a different state, I could just tell him if you want this bike you gotta come over here and change the oil! thanks
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| Theazrp | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 14/10/2010 | | Posts | : | 111 | | Location | : | Gold Canyon, Arizona, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2010 - 22:22 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: narsisco_lopez) | | | I like this idea but I'm wondering if I can pull the front wheel up onto the ramp and still be able to reach the ground with my feet.
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| davetac1 | | Thunderbird | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Oct 2010 - 04:37 Post title : Re: oil changing revisited (Re: Theazrp) | | | I ran into the low sump problem on a V star 1100 a while back.So I simply used a piece of 2X4 under the side stand to kinda raise the machine a little more on the level side, then used a smaller oil drain pan,made out of plastic,which I bought at an auto parts store.It fit right under the bike slicker then sh**.I now use that same oil drain pan for the Triumph too.As I've said,my experience has taught me that the words "CAN'T" or "IMPOSSIBLE" do not exist in this business.Where there's a will,there's always a WAY.That smaller plastic oil drain pan I bought was the WAY.It works pisser. Dave!!!
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